Mark Haroldson
Mark Haroldson is a USGS Supervisory Wildlife Biologist for the Interagency Grizzly Bears Study Team and works out of the Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman, MT.
Research Interest
Mark has had a passion for bears since he began studying them as an undergraduate in 1976. He has worked in bear research and management in several western states ever since. Since 1984 he has worked in various capacities for the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Current research is focused on mortality and population trend of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Education and Certifications
B.S. Wildlife Biology, 1979, University of Montana
Graduate level class work, 1982-88, University of Montana
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 83
Impacts of rural development on Yellowstone wildlife: linking grizzly bear Ursus arctos demographics with projected residential growth
Exurban development is consuming wildlife habitat within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with potential consequences to the long-term conservation of grizzly bears Ursus arctos. We assessed the impacts of alternative future land-use scenarios by linking an existing regression-based simulation model predicting rural development with a spatially explicit model that predicted bear survival. Using d
Authors
Charles C. Schwartz, Patricia H. Gude, Lisa Landenburger, Mark A. Haroldson, Shannon Podruzny
Population fragmentation and inter-ecosystem movements of grizzly bears in Western Canada and the Northern United States
Population fragmentation compromises population viability, reduces a species ability to respond to climate change, and ultimately may reduce biodiversity. We studied the current state and potential causes of fragmentation in grizzly bears over approximately 1,000,000 km 2 of western Canada, the northern United States (US), and southeast Alaska. We compiled much of our data from projects undertake
Authors
M.F. Proctor, David Paetkau, B. N. McLellan, G.B. Stenhouse, K.C. Kendall, R.D. Mace, W.F. Kasworm, C. Servheen, C.L. Lausen, M.L. Gibeau, W.L. Wakkinen, M.A. Haroldson, G. Mowat, C.D. Apps, L.M. Ciarniello, R.M.R. Barclay, M.S. Boyce, C.C. Schwartz, C. Strobeck
Grizzly bear population vital rates and trend in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, Montana
We estimated grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population vital rates and trend for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE), Montana, between 2004 and 2009 by following radio-collared females and observing their fate and reproductive performance. Our estimates of dependent cub and yearling survival were 0.612 (95% CI = 0.300–0.818) and 0.682 (95% CI = 0.258–0.898). Our estimates of subadult and
Authors
R.D. Mace, D.W. Carney, T. Chilton-Radandt, S.A. Courville, M.A. Haroldson, R.B. Harris, J. Jonkel, B. McLellan, M. Madel, T.L. Manley, C.C. Schwartz, C. Servheen, G. Stenhouse, J.S. Waller, E. Wenum
Study design and sampling intensity for demographic analyses of bear populations
The rate of population change through time (??) is a fundamental element of a wildlife population's conservation status, yet estimating it with acceptable precision for bears is difficult. For studies that follow known (usually marked) bears, ?? can be estimated during some defined time by applying either life-table or matrix projection methods to estimates of individual vital rates. Usually howev
Authors
R.B. Harris, C.C. Schwartz, R.D. Mace, M.A. Haroldson
Cougar survival and source-sink structure on Greater Yellowstone's Northern Range
We studied survival and causes of mortality of radiocollared cougars (Puma concolor) on the Greater Yellowstone Northern Range (GYNR) prior to (1987–1994) and after wolf (Canis lupus) reintroduction (1998–2005) and evaluated temporal, spatial, and environmental factors that explain variation in adult, subadult, and kitten survival. Using Program MARK and multimodel inference, we modeled cougar sur
Authors
T.K. Ruth, M.A. Haroldson, K.M. Murphy, P.C. Buotte, M.G. Hornocker, H.B. Quigley
Hazards affecting grizzly bear survival in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
During the past 2 decades, the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) has increased in numbers and expanded its range. Early efforts to model grizzly bear mortality were principally focused within the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone, which currently represents only about 61% of known bear distribution in the GYE. A more
Authors
Charles C. Schwartz, Mark A. Haroldson, Gary C. White
Genetic analysis of individual origins supports isolation of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) supports the southernmost of the 2 largest remaining grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) populations in the contiguous United States. Since the mid-1980s, this population has increased in numbers and expanded in range. However, concerns for its long-term genetic health remain because of its presumed continued isolation. To test the power of genetic methods for detec
Authors
Mark A. Haroldson, Charles Schwartz, Katherine C. Kendall, Kerry A. Gunther, David S. Moody, Kevin L. Frey, David Paetkau
Observations of mixed-aged litters in brown bears
We report on 3 cases of mixed-aged litters (young born in different years) in brown bears (Ursus arctos); in 1 instance the cub-of-the-year (hereafter called cubs) died in the den. Two cases occurred in Sweden after mothers were separated from their young during the breeding season. In one, the mother was separated from the accompanying cub for at least 12.5 hours and possibly up to 3.3 days, and
Authors
J. E. Swenson, M.A. Haroldson
Evaluation of rules to distinguish unique female grizzly bears with cubs in Yellowstone
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service uses counts of unduplicated female grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) with cubs-of-the-year to establish limits of sustainable mortality in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA. Sightings are dustered into observations of unique bears based on an empirically derived rule set. The method has never been tested or verified. To evaluate the rule set, we used dat
Authors
C.C. Schwartz, M.A. Haroldson, S. Cherry, K.A. Keating
Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: Annual report of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, 2006
The contents of this Annual Report summarize results of monitoring and research from the 2006 field season. The report also contains a summary of nuisance grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) management actions.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) continues to work on issues associated with counts of unduplicated females with cubs-of- the-year (COY). These counts are used to establis
Population growth of Yellowstone grizzly bears: Uncertainty and future monitoring
Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem of the US Rocky Mountains have recently increased in numbers, but remain vulnerable due to isolation from other populations and predicted reductions in favored food resources. Harris et al. (2006) projected how this population might fare in the future under alternative survival rates, and in doing so estimated the rate of population
Authors
R.B. Harris, Gary C. White, C.C. Schwartz, M.A. Haroldson
Evaluating estimators for numbers of females with cubs-of-the-year in the Yellowstone grizzly bear population
Current management of the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population in Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas requires annual estimation of the number of adult female bears with cubs-of-the-year. We examined the performance of nine estimators of population size via simulation. Data were simulated using two methods for different combinations of population size, sample size, and coefficient of
Authors
S. Cherry, G.C. White, K.A. Keating, Mark A. Haroldson, Charles C. Schwartz
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 83
Impacts of rural development on Yellowstone wildlife: linking grizzly bear Ursus arctos demographics with projected residential growth
Exurban development is consuming wildlife habitat within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem with potential consequences to the long-term conservation of grizzly bears Ursus arctos. We assessed the impacts of alternative future land-use scenarios by linking an existing regression-based simulation model predicting rural development with a spatially explicit model that predicted bear survival. Using d
Authors
Charles C. Schwartz, Patricia H. Gude, Lisa Landenburger, Mark A. Haroldson, Shannon Podruzny
Population fragmentation and inter-ecosystem movements of grizzly bears in Western Canada and the Northern United States
Population fragmentation compromises population viability, reduces a species ability to respond to climate change, and ultimately may reduce biodiversity. We studied the current state and potential causes of fragmentation in grizzly bears over approximately 1,000,000 km 2 of western Canada, the northern United States (US), and southeast Alaska. We compiled much of our data from projects undertake
Authors
M.F. Proctor, David Paetkau, B. N. McLellan, G.B. Stenhouse, K.C. Kendall, R.D. Mace, W.F. Kasworm, C. Servheen, C.L. Lausen, M.L. Gibeau, W.L. Wakkinen, M.A. Haroldson, G. Mowat, C.D. Apps, L.M. Ciarniello, R.M.R. Barclay, M.S. Boyce, C.C. Schwartz, C. Strobeck
Grizzly bear population vital rates and trend in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, Montana
We estimated grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population vital rates and trend for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE), Montana, between 2004 and 2009 by following radio-collared females and observing their fate and reproductive performance. Our estimates of dependent cub and yearling survival were 0.612 (95% CI = 0.300–0.818) and 0.682 (95% CI = 0.258–0.898). Our estimates of subadult and
Authors
R.D. Mace, D.W. Carney, T. Chilton-Radandt, S.A. Courville, M.A. Haroldson, R.B. Harris, J. Jonkel, B. McLellan, M. Madel, T.L. Manley, C.C. Schwartz, C. Servheen, G. Stenhouse, J.S. Waller, E. Wenum
Study design and sampling intensity for demographic analyses of bear populations
The rate of population change through time (??) is a fundamental element of a wildlife population's conservation status, yet estimating it with acceptable precision for bears is difficult. For studies that follow known (usually marked) bears, ?? can be estimated during some defined time by applying either life-table or matrix projection methods to estimates of individual vital rates. Usually howev
Authors
R.B. Harris, C.C. Schwartz, R.D. Mace, M.A. Haroldson
Cougar survival and source-sink structure on Greater Yellowstone's Northern Range
We studied survival and causes of mortality of radiocollared cougars (Puma concolor) on the Greater Yellowstone Northern Range (GYNR) prior to (1987–1994) and after wolf (Canis lupus) reintroduction (1998–2005) and evaluated temporal, spatial, and environmental factors that explain variation in adult, subadult, and kitten survival. Using Program MARK and multimodel inference, we modeled cougar sur
Authors
T.K. Ruth, M.A. Haroldson, K.M. Murphy, P.C. Buotte, M.G. Hornocker, H.B. Quigley
Hazards affecting grizzly bear survival in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
During the past 2 decades, the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) has increased in numbers and expanded its range. Early efforts to model grizzly bear mortality were principally focused within the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone, which currently represents only about 61% of known bear distribution in the GYE. A more
Authors
Charles C. Schwartz, Mark A. Haroldson, Gary C. White
Genetic analysis of individual origins supports isolation of grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) supports the southernmost of the 2 largest remaining grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) populations in the contiguous United States. Since the mid-1980s, this population has increased in numbers and expanded in range. However, concerns for its long-term genetic health remain because of its presumed continued isolation. To test the power of genetic methods for detec
Authors
Mark A. Haroldson, Charles Schwartz, Katherine C. Kendall, Kerry A. Gunther, David S. Moody, Kevin L. Frey, David Paetkau
Observations of mixed-aged litters in brown bears
We report on 3 cases of mixed-aged litters (young born in different years) in brown bears (Ursus arctos); in 1 instance the cub-of-the-year (hereafter called cubs) died in the den. Two cases occurred in Sweden after mothers were separated from their young during the breeding season. In one, the mother was separated from the accompanying cub for at least 12.5 hours and possibly up to 3.3 days, and
Authors
J. E. Swenson, M.A. Haroldson
Evaluation of rules to distinguish unique female grizzly bears with cubs in Yellowstone
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service uses counts of unduplicated female grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) with cubs-of-the-year to establish limits of sustainable mortality in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA. Sightings are dustered into observations of unique bears based on an empirically derived rule set. The method has never been tested or verified. To evaluate the rule set, we used dat
Authors
C.C. Schwartz, M.A. Haroldson, S. Cherry, K.A. Keating
Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: Annual report of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, 2006
The contents of this Annual Report summarize results of monitoring and research from the 2006 field season. The report also contains a summary of nuisance grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) management actions.
The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) continues to work on issues associated with counts of unduplicated females with cubs-of- the-year (COY). These counts are used to establis
Population growth of Yellowstone grizzly bears: Uncertainty and future monitoring
Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem of the US Rocky Mountains have recently increased in numbers, but remain vulnerable due to isolation from other populations and predicted reductions in favored food resources. Harris et al. (2006) projected how this population might fare in the future under alternative survival rates, and in doing so estimated the rate of population
Authors
R.B. Harris, Gary C. White, C.C. Schwartz, M.A. Haroldson
Evaluating estimators for numbers of females with cubs-of-the-year in the Yellowstone grizzly bear population
Current management of the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population in Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas requires annual estimation of the number of adult female bears with cubs-of-the-year. We examined the performance of nine estimators of population size via simulation. Data were simulated using two methods for different combinations of population size, sample size, and coefficient of
Authors
S. Cherry, G.C. White, K.A. Keating, Mark A. Haroldson, Charles C. Schwartz